Esoteric
by AnyyThingg
Summary: Haruno Sakura was a god trapped in a human body. She had been used. She had been broken. And now she wanted revenge. Nothing could take her off the path of destruction. She was determined to hunt down those who had wronged her, but nothing is as it seems and lying is second nature to most.
1. chapter one

Sakura walked out of the small bakery, the cold wind hitting her in the face. Sucking a deep breath her eyes begun to water at the sting of the icy wind in her throat. It was one of those days she couldn't tell if she liked the sting, or just acknowledged it's presence. Pulling the bulky coat tighter around her body stepped further under the canopy that stretched above the door, her eyes darting to the darkening sky. It was close to sunset, she noted dully. She would have to take the train, she'd be home a little after dark.

She didn't move at first, just staring at the empty street. She didn't like these types of nights, the cold and silence just rubbed her the wrong way. True to her name, she was much more into Spring; the days a perfect combination of peaceful and lazy. The soft rays of light, and easy winds something that had always soothed her.

Winter, however, was cold and harsh and she hated it. She hated the cold winds, and how she had to bundle up just to keep her body from freezing. With a reluctant sigh she buried her face into her scarf and stepped into the street, the click of her heels deafening her.

Walking down the road she turned the corner just as the bus pulled up, she patted herself on the back for timing the bus right. Grabbing the small railing she pulled herself up the four small stairs, then walking down the small isle she found a seat in the back. The bus was always crowded, that wasn't uncommon, the thought of the ordinary giving her a sense of comfort. Leaning back she let her eyes close, knowing already it would be a little bit until her bus stop. Hers was always the last one, which both annoyed and pleased her.

She hadn't realized she was drifting off, she hated to sleep.

 _Eyes, so many eyes. They just stared at her, asking her silent questions. Questions she couldn't answer._

Go Away! _She shouted as loud as she could, but nothing came out. Her mouth wouldn't even open. The eyes blinked at her, some of the moving a semi circle, as if the people the eyes belonged to tilted their heads. She never saw their faces, they never wanted her to._

 _She felt her heartbeat pick up and she tried to move her body, only it wasn't hers anymore._

 _They'd done it again._

 _They'd forced her into someone else. Someone she_ wasn't.

 _Where was her body? She just wanted what was hers! Like a tide she felt her anger festering, taking over the fear that was etched into her heart. The anger they tried to take away, the anger that would burn the world. They took the one thing man kind wasn't to mess with, the one thing that she hadn't offered. They had betrayed and ruined her, the fire in her soul burned brighter. The fire was hot, she felt the rage licking at her finger tips, begging her to use it._

 _Yet, the fire was all attached to her body, the body they had taken. She felt the sorrow and fear creep back, the fear a dull throb now._

"Dear," a hand was placed on her shoulder, giving her a small shake, "wake up." Sakura's eyes snapped open, her back going straight as she sat up. The old bus driver took a step back, clearly shaken by her sudden awakened state. "Dear," he stated again, his withered hand now held against his chest, "we are at your bus stop." Sakura stood in one fluid motion, she didn't thank him like she normally would. Her body still controlled by fear, dashing out of the small bus she ran into he cold night air.

She didn't stop, she couldn't!

She ignored the throb in her feet, the dull pain in her legs. She pushed herself on, running as fast as she could even though she knew this wouldn't be good on her heels.

So many eyes. Watching. Observing. Determining what to _take_ next. They were greedy, they wouldn't stop taking. They never would.

She came to slow stop in front of her door, hand searching her pocket for the keys. It didn't take long for her to find them, it took even less for her to have door open and closed behind her inside. She dropped her the ground, hands scrunching up into her hair as she let out a shrill yell, faces flashing in her minds eyes. She shook her head, trying to throw them out. As if that would work! They had found her, they would take her back, torture her!

Men flashed through her head.

Men like her.

They were coming.

 _For her._


	2. chapter two

Hands clasped tightly around a knife that hung loosely between her spread legs. Sakura sighed as she thumped her head against the wall followed by a quick sting and a fading buzz. She refused to close her eyes no matter how tired she got, if she was going to figure something out and keep herself protected she had to stay awake. The night was no place for a human to lose since and forget themselves, especially if they had raging immortals coming after them.

Her breathing sped up, her chest rising and falling with every forced intake of air she took. She tried to calm herself- even as the darkness pressed in around her; anywhere darkness fell was their domain, once her domain. She no longer belonged to the night and shadows anymore though, being human wasn't all bad because now she had an escape from them. She could go into the light and leave the shadows behind. She felt a burst of homesickness take her over and she fought back the urge to vomit.

Sakura had no doubt in her mind that they were watching, waiting for her to make a mistake. She refused to let herself make a blunder, they were probably enjoying the sorry state she was in already.

Her hand clenched tighter to the knife handle.

 _Inhale_

 _Exhale_

 _Inhale_

 _Exhale_

It was getting harder to breath and once more she cursed the human body with so many weaknesses. She had fallen low and she had no hope of bringing herself back up; she had nothing and she _was_ nothing.

She closed her eyes and calmed herself, fear would get her nowhere. She maybe human right now, but she wasn't ignorant, she still had centuries on some of the others. She was a war god and she wasn't going down without fight. She was human which came with allot of weaknesses, but also gave her some advantages over the others. She didn't have her god strength, but she wasn't as weak as a human and she had more than enough time to hone her fighting skills to work in any body. She was quick and agile and she would be damned if she kneeled over and died for anyone.

She opened her eyes and the familiar jolt of power shot through her body. She glared down the dark hallway at nothing, she knew they would see her and hear her as she whispered, "I'm not going down without a fight." She could hear shrill laughter and excitement fill the empty space around her seeping from the darkness.

She had excited them with her declaration.

Sakura felt the knife slip from her tense and tired hands as a soft bird chirp drowned at the snickering, a single ray of light pierce the darkness so adamant on tearing her apart. She was exhausted and paid no mind when she heard nothing when she should have heard the knife hit the floor.

She didn't see one of the retracting shadows pull the knife back into the darkness with it.


	3. chapter three

Ino raised a perfectly shaped brow as Sakura walked through the front door of the flower shop, shoulders slumped and head down. She snorted and turned back to the flower arrangement she was working on, "You look like trash." Black eyeliner ringed the bright green eyes Ino had come to adore, pastel pink hair piled messily into a bun on top of Sakura's head clearly not brushed; Ino could tell something had happened. "What happened?"

"I feel like trash," Sakura ignored her friends second question as she fell heavily into a chair, head lolling back as she fought to keep her eyes open. Sometimes she forgot that her current human body needed sleep and how hard it was to function without it. She was no longer use to being alive with so many weaknesses, so many ways to die. Ino didn't bother looking back at the girl as she sighed heavily already getting an idea of what had happened. Ino had known her for a close to a year now, since her fall to earth; the blonde didn't really know anything about the pinkette, and yet Ino helped as much as she could. Sakura trusted Ino more than she had been willing to trust anyone in a long time, however she wasn't about to put herself on the line by spilling her ancient past.

"Nightmares again?" Ino questioned, voice soft and somber.

"Something like that." Sakura replied tiredly. She was exhausted, the night before she had been on her feet all day, waiting tables and cleaning messes. She had worked all day yesterday and it didn't help that she had gotten no sleep. "Do you mind if I take a nap in the back?" She felt as weak as her body was; she hated relying on others when she was once a war god feared by all. She had slayed entire armies once upon a time, the earth would tremble under her feet and she could crumble a mountain with a single hit. Sakura didn't realize how much she relied on her strength and powers until it was all gone.

"Yeah, that should be fine. How long are you staying today?" Ino turned the flower arrangement in a circle, making sure she didn't miss anything that could be out of place and ruin her masterpiece.

"Unsure." Sakura yawned tiredly and pushed herself to her feet, "Probably until you close." She wasn't looking forward to going home anytime soon, being alone wasn't very appealing at the moment. With her arms high in the air she arched her back and groaned in pleasure at the satisfying crack. Sakura relaxed and walked behind Ino, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist Sakura buried her face in Ino's shoulder. "Thank you," she mumbled softly before making the small trek to the back storage room turned employee lounge area.

"Yeah, whatever forehead." Ino flushed deeply, cheeks turning a bright red from the contact. Sakura smiled as she grabbed the blanket Ino brought the shop for her, curling the material around her she laid on the couch and drifted to sleep.

Sakura stirred tiredly as a voice seeped through her unconsciousness and forcibly pulling her awake. Sitting up she yawned tiredly and listened to the voice's speaking in the shop. A voice deep and smooth that was clearly male, one she knew but couldn't place. It was so similar to a boys voice but unmistakably a man. "Is Sakura here?"

"Haruno Sakura?" Stern, unyielding, strong, feminine. Ino.

"Hai! The boy yelled excitedly.

She could imagine the look on Ino's face: eyes fierce and ready to protect the friend she held so dear. "Depends who's asking." She pictured Ino looking the boy over in a manner similar to a mobster, "Who are you?"

Sakura's eyes widened as she heard the name; forgetting about the blanket she jumped off the couch, said clothe tangling around her feet and tripping her up. She felt her body collide sharply against the cemented floor. She knew she was going to be bruised up tomorrow but she couldn't bring herself to worry about that right now, shaking the pain off she jumped to her feet and burst through the door.

"Naruto!" She screamed happily with unrestrained tears streaming down her face. The golden haired boy turned to Sakura an exuberant smile plastered to his face as he opened his arms and caught Sakura as she jumped towards him. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, head buried in the crook between his shoulder and neck. He was solid, _real_ , his hard chest pressed roughly against her heaving cushioned one. Sakura pulled away and cupped her hands to his cheeks with a wobbly smile. "Naruto," she breathed softly, "is it really you?"

Naruto kept his arms circled around her waist causing her to stay on her tip toes, luckily he was holding up most her weight. He felt solid, his arms wrapped around her felt real and unyielding like he had always been, she felt _protected_ after so long of being scared. "It's me, _Sakura_." He whispered back as he pressed his forehead to hers; he said her name like it was a dream come true. She felt his breath fan over her face followed by the scent of ramen, something she couldn't find herself to care about at the moment.

Sakura basked in everything Naruto, she had been away from her best friend for too long and he felt like home. Ino coughed obnoxiously bringing the friends out of their reunion. Sakura turned to the blonde girl with a questioning look. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"This is Naruto," Sakura laughed as she patted his chest, signaling for him to put her down and without words he gently placed her on her feet. "He's my-" Naruto let her move to stand beside him, his arm draped over her shoulder in a way to keep her close. Sakura had always fit so well with Naruto's body, time apart didn't seem to change that. She seemed to mold beautifully into his side.

"Her boyfriend." He smiled sweetly at Ino as he cut Sakura off. Ino's eyes widened as she looked between the two, sure the golden-haired boy with whisker like tattoo's was cute but he couldn't be with Sakura, she would have told Ino about it if it were true.

Sakura laughed and elbowed him in the stomach, he pretended like it hurt but he barely felt anything at all; he fought back the shock of how _human_ she was. "He's my best friend," Sakura corrected with a soft laugh.

"I'm in love with her though." He smiled down at her, a soft and secret sort of smile. His blue eyes full of fondness and love and Ino knew what he said was true. Anyone could see that the boy was in love with the pinkette. Sakura didn't look up at him, instead keeping her eyes on Ino, which was no surprise surprise to either blonde. Sakura didn't take people's confessions well, she was much better at ignoring them and hurting the person even more as she casually brushed their feelings off. Ino had more than once been stopped in the process of confessing to Sakura, only for the said girl to rip out her heart by hugging her tightly and telling her it she was sorry.

"Well," Ino said as she turned and grabbed her purse, "lets go out to lunch so you guys can explain yourselves to me." Naruto laughed and cheered for ramen while Sakura simply stated she didn't care and smiled fondly at the hyper boy and Ino couldn't help but feel a little left out.


	4. chapter four

Naruto smiled at the pinkette, his heart soaring from being with her again after so long. While her outward appearance looked the same something about her was obviously different, Naruto guessed it was the fact that she was once again human. It was in the way she walked and moved, she was weaker. He remembered seeing the small human girl from all those many years ago, she was small and fierce and she had fought hard to become strong. Naruto hated seeing the woman he loved turned to something she fought so desperately to escape.

The details of what happened to turn her back to human was unclear, he wasn't even sure who had done it, much less how to reverse it. Sakura smiled at him as she locked their arms together and leaned into him, silently he vowed to find the culprit and turn her back. Naruto would like to say it was all for her, but he doubted he could be without her. The few months she was gone felt like he was being torn apart. In his long and many years he had never felt such pain- and he had been in many gruesome battles.

"So," the female human asked, eyes trained on Naruto, "how do you two know each other?" Naruto looked at Sakura asking silent permission to go on. He knew not to disclose the immortal part of their story to a human, but Sakura had always been selective about her past. Most people didn't even know about it, Naruto was one of the few and he only knew because he had been there. She nodded her approval and he smiled; she'd found someone she could trust. He seriously doubted anyone Sakura showed affection to would ever betray her; if they did Naruto would easily hunt them down himself.

"I met her when she was a little girl," he said softly, thinking back. "She had been a scared little thing but angry and fierce. She was being chased by some bad guys after witnessing her parents murder when she ran into Sasuke and I." When Ino gave him a questioning look he coughed, "Sasuke was my best friend."

He wanted to laugh at that, she had been a little human girl at the time and back then it wasn't a secret that immortals walked among humans. Humans had been taught to fear those who were stronger, and rightly to do so. Immortals had abused their powers and committed terrible sins, he had been no exception. The small human had known what they were even before they had said anything, and yet she had demanded people's death. Sasuke had denied her by stating they did nothing for no one and especially not without a price. Sakura had offered herself, begging for revenge in exchange for her own life. People had died for far less, and yet neither himself nor Sasuke could deny the girl. So they had committed a sin that came as natural as breathing for her, as time went on they became much more willing to do anything that would appease her and make her happy.

They had took her offer to heart, keeping her as their little pet. Over time they had made her an immortal, not wanting to part the girl who's life was as fleeting as single lifetime. Even before her immortality Sakura had gained many admirers, the strength and devotion and eternal beauty only adding to those who loved and cared for her.

"How old are you?" Ino questioned with narrowed eyes.

Naruto opened his mouth about to tell her how he had lost count after he hit five hundred, Sakura pulled her arm away from him and slammed her elbow into his stomach, repeating her earlier assault. She smiled at Ino, "He's twenty." A year older than Sakura's human form; he fought to catch his breath excited to see she still had her inhuman, or was it human?, strength; she wasn't as strong as she use to be, but this was still far more than he had felt from any other human. Ino excepted Sakura's answer but kept her eyes suspiciously on Naruto. He noted that the blonde human was perceptive, something he would have to look out for.

"You guys have known each other for sometime, huh." She said nothing about Sakura's parents death, not even reacting to the fact Sakura had been there. Good choice on her part.

"Since childhood," Sakura replied without lying. Naruto wanted to snicker at the pinkette's deceptiveness. It was true Naruto had known her since _she_ was a child, however it wasn't the truth vice versa. Naruto wrapped his arms around her shoulders once more, giving her a little shake.

"Who's Sasuke?" Ino questioned once more.

Sakura smiled and said, "Naruto's boyfriend."

Naruto waved his hands in front of Ino, yelling for her not to believe Sakura and that Sasuke was just another best friend to the two. "We were a team made family of orphans," Naruto explained with a soft smile. "Originally a family of four: Sakura, Kakashi, Sasuke, and myself. However we upgraded to a team of six, adding Yamato and Sai." Naruto had grown up with Sasuke, both loosing their families for some reason or another. They had been a rag tag pair when Kakashi had found them, took them under his wing and nurtured them.

Sakura became a queen among ancient immortals; any of them, family or not, would go out of their way for her. She was beloved among all, worshiped and treasured even by the most ruthless. It had been no secret of Sakura's dislike for being human and humankind, and when she had disappeared after announcing the return of her mortality all the ancient immortals had gone into a frenzy looking for her.

She had been with them all too long, however, and she was a master at running and hiding from them. Staying out of their sights, away from hidden ears, away from out stretched hands, something that wasn't easily accomplished. It was by chance Naruto had stumbled by a human talking about a pink haired bomb shell, in all his long years he had never heard of anyone else with _pink_ hair.

"What did you guys do?" Ino asked.

"Various things," Sakura replied with a smile. She didn't feel the need to bestow the gory details of what they did on the young and very human girl. Naruto could tell the blonde girl was feeling down, and he couldn't blame her. She had grown close with Sakura, probably even believing Sakura would tell her anything, and yet the pinkette was hiding things back now. Naruto would have lost his mind if Sakura left him out of the loop, he was ecstatic that he had been the one who introduced her to the world of immortals. Naruto was far older than Sakura, meaning he was stronger. Age meant strength, and Sakura had been one of the last immortals made; far stronger than she should have been.

Had immortality not been stolen from her, Naruto had a feeling she would have far suppressed many of them.


End file.
